Editor's note — This story erroneously identified Russellville players on two occasions. Both instances have been corrected.

Russellville Junior High Westside’s Mark Moyer intercepted a fourth-down pass from Brooks Boshears in the end zone as time expired as the Whirlwinds beat Little Rock Christian Academy 28-20 at Cyclone Stadium in River Valley Junior High Conference action Thursday night.

The win clinched the RVJHC championship for RJHS West (8-1, 6-0), the third straight year the West Whirlwinds won at least a share of the conference championship.

“Everything’s about these kids,” an emotional Head Coach Josh Edgin said after the game. “They’re just the biggest family I’ve ever seen. Everything they do, they do together. Just like (Thursday night), they did it together and they did it as a team. All the credit goes to them. Sometimes in a win the players get lost in the shuffle, but every player had a responsibility in this season and in this win.”

The win didn’t come easily for RJHS West, which came in already almost assured a share of the conference championship. The Warriors struck first after the Whirlwinds went three-and-out with two penalties on their first offensive series. Hunter McFarlane scored the first of his two touchdowns on LRCA’s first drive on a bruising 6-yard run. The 2-point conversion was no good and the Warriors led 6-0.

RJHS West answered on its next drive when Co-Chese Temple-Laws took an end-around handoff from Andy Campbell and raced down the sideline for a 40-yard touchdown to tie the game at 6-6. It stayed that way after Campbell overthrew Kentrel Scott on the 2-point try.

Ethan Graham returned the ensuing kickoff 76 yards down to the Whirlwinds 9, but a holding penalty on a touchdown run by Hayden Hill put LRCA in second-and-goal from the 22. Kervin Flores dropped Boshears for a 3-yard loss at the 25, but Hill gained it back on the next play. An incomplete pass brought up fourth down, and a bad snap sailed over Boshears head. Flores (6-foot-3, 240 pounds) picked up the ball at the 37 and rumbled 63 yards for a touchdown to give Russellville a 12-6 lead. Campbell was again high on the 2-point conversion pass.

“That was a great effort,” Edgin said of Flores’ return. “But you saw the players down the sideline getting in there and blocking for him. Once again, it was an individual getting it done, but the whole team was on that sideline blocking for him.”

The big play didn’t bother the Warriors, however, as they went on a 10-play, 65-yard drive capped by McFarlane’s second touchdown of the night to make it 12-12. The point-after kick was good and LRCA led 13-12, a score that would hold until halftime.

The Warriors opened the second half with a 50-yard touchdown drive, half of which came on a pass from Boshears to Graham for a touchdown. The PAT was good, and LRCA led 20-12 with 4:45 left in the third quarter.

“This was one of the few teams to come out and take what we gave them,” Edgin said of the Warriors. “We gave them the short throw and made them drive the field, and this team wanted to do it.”

RJHS West was able to answer with a drive of its own. On first-and-10 at the LRCA 12, Campbell had the snap sail over his head, and he recovered the ball back at the 25. He found Scott for 17 yards on the next play, however, and Tony Jones ran it in on third down at the 8 to bring the Whirlwinds within two points. Campbell hit Scott in the right corner of the end zone for the 2-point conversion and a 20-20 tie.

The defense finally forced a three-and-out on the next Warriors possession and took over at the RJHS 39.

“There really wasn’t any big (halftime) adjustments,” Edgin said. “We just talked to the kids, got them straight and got a guy out there to the flat a little bit faster and they (Little Rock Christian) started hearing footsteps. Once again, it really wasn’t anything to do with adjustments. It was these kids coming out of the locker room and deciding to do what was right.”

Eleven plays later, Campbell scored on a QB sneak from 4 yards out to give the Whirlwinds a 26-20 lead. The drive was kept alive by a key fourth-down run by Flores. On the 2-point conversion attempt, Campbell threw a backwards pass to the right flat to Moyer, who threw it back to Campbell on the left side. Campbell found the edge and reached the end zone to make it 28-0.

LRCA took over with just 1:29 to play in the game and was able to drive deep into Whirlwind territory, but facing fourth-and-3 at the 5, Boshears’ pass to Graham was intercepted by Moyer in the end zone.

The Warriors outgained RJHS West 220-196 in the game. Campbell completed 9 of 11 passes for 96 yards. He carried the ball seven times for 19 yards and a score. Jones was corralled in the game, gaining just 36 yards on nine carries with a score.

Boshears went 13-for-21 for 151 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Graham caught five passes for 74 yards, and returned a kickoff 76 yards.

RJHS West will face RJHS East at 7 p.m. Tuesday on Colors Night at Cyclone Stadium.